Camp Dunamis rents inflatables every year, and sets up a mini carnival in the parking lot. They graciously allow our staff to enjoy them because they know that the food tastes better when the cooks are happy!

These two were content to skip the slide and play in its murky leavings.

Still New To Moving And Shaking

Today is the first slow day that I've had in a while. It's delicious. After returning from Norway and begrudgingly greeting a new decade, I've been hopping around like mad while not getting enough sleep and letting my house fall apart.


We took the middle schoolers to Six Flags on the 7th. Sarah was able to come along, which, of course, really made it an exciting trip. She hadn't been there since the time we went went with Chad about ten years ago, and although it was crowded and we didn't make it on many rides, it was worth the trip just for Tatsu. Tatsu is the roller coaster with restraints that close all around you- even around your calves- before the seats are pulled back and you are facing straight down, then you fly over the park on your stomach. The track is overhead, so you are suspended, hanging at the mercy of unknown engineers. I love roller coasters; I love earthquakes. I know that they are supposed to be scary, but they're just not. I try to scream while on these rides, because it's what one does, but I always end up laughing hysterically. As Tatsu climbed out over nothing, I was legitimately frightened. By the time the ride started, though, it became just a regular roller coaster, but that was the hardest I'd ever laughed.






The following weekend was Cosmic Bowling with the high schoolers. I'm a terrible bowler, but on our third game I managed a mark in each of the first six frames. Then eight by the ninth frame! Then just before the tenth frame they turned the lights on and killed the scoring screens, and I had to leave not knowing the score.



Larissa and I are leading a Bible study for the youth group girls, and although the book's cover burns my retinas a little, the study is going well so far.



We have welcomed our staff, finished two weeks of Dunamis, passed our health inspection, gone to a Lake Elsinore Storms (baseball) game, eaten chicken and waffles, and now everyone is at the beach celebrating Angelica's seventeenth birthday. I really wanted to go, but the order wasn't finished, and those Family Campers do love to eat! I'm missing out, I'm sure, but it is so nice and quiet here today. I made sweet potato pancakes and finally opened the maple syrup from Jamin that I've been saving, I've done laundry, taken a nap, and now that I've purchased a Cactus Cooler (it is a Camp Maranatha summer after all) I think I'm almost ready to do some work (perhaps just one more post).

There are only a few things that I am truly, exceptionally good at.

One of those things happens to be buying a ton of produce for the sole purpose of letting it rot in the crisper. After my most recent shopping trip I have vowed to eat at least most of it.








I'm on my way.

I'm also incredibly good at forgetting about the zoom.

Oh Yes...More Trolls

Here Are Our Best Fake Smiles

Although thoroughly exhausted (I was at least), we took the metro into Copenhagen during our layover to get Danishes, and just poke around a little. We stayed in this little square while we ate, then scoped out passers by, trying to decide who to ask to take our picture. I saw a couple taking turns posing in front of a statue and decided to offer to trade photography services. I asked if I could take their picture, and was happy to find that although they didn't speak English, my broken Spanish was sufficient. They led me far from the statue, so that they could find their brother to pose as well, and I finally had to stop them. "Uh...donde? Porque no tengo tiempo. Mi hermano y madre...are waiting over there. Adios- que tengas buenos dias!" (I have no idea how to actually spell any of that). I then returned to our little Danish square without our photographers. Then I found some Italian dudes to snap the shot.

Since We're On The Topic Of My Recent Coolio Gifts,

Thank you to Tanya and Danielle for the gorgeous bouquet of flowers, Jim and Jen for mas Seinfeld, and the Cali Tates for cds, Target y mucho mas!!

Thanks TateFolks!!

I love them! And thanks to Rachel and Nathanael for the delivery service.

Attention Coin-Seekers:

Go to Magic Mountain. No quarters, but I fished forty coins.

Thanks Sherry And Meghan!!!

I ditched the work dayers to chaperone a junior high trip on Saturday, but I came home to some very cute "I heart Camp" pajamas, and- even more exciting- a box that make the insides of your walls a hostile environment to rodents. I plugged it in immediately. So far, so good- I haven't seen any evidence of house guests. Thanks so much!!!